East outslugs West 13-6 in VHSCA All-Star baseball

Hampton's Cody Seals chases after a ball hit to center field during the seventh inning of Wednesday's VHSCA All-Star baseball game at War Memorial Stadium.

Hampton's Cody Seals chases after a ball hit to center field during the seventh inning of Wednesday's VHSCA All-Star baseball game at War Memorial Stadium. (Kaitlin McKeown, Daily Press)

Dave Johnson, djohnson@dailypress.com | 757-247-4649

HAMPTON — In terms of excitement, Tuesday night's MLB All-Star game didn't set the bar very high. In fact, the highlight was Justin Verlander's 101-mph fastball — which, unfortunately for the Detroit Tigers' ace, came in the middle of a five-run first inning.

Nobody reached Verlander's velocity in the VHSCA's All-Star game Wednesday night — "If I did, I wouldn't be here," Cosby's Michael Carpenter joked. The hitters teed off, and after nearly three hours the East finished off a 13-6 win at War Memorial Stadium.

It was the highest-scoring All-Star game since 1992, when the West beat the East 16-4.

The East went hitless through the first three innings and trailed 2-0 going into the bottom of the fourth. But it was a tie game after East Rockingham's Hunter Hensley drew a bases-loaded walk and Jamestown's Brink Ambler's hit an RBI groundout.

In the bottom of the fifth, the East's bats came alive with four runs on four hits. Sherando's Tre Porter hit a two-run triple to break the tie, and the East took a 6-2 lead after RBI singles by Great Bridge's Brian Beard and Cosby's Luke Lowery.

The West tied it in the top of the sixth, the key hit coming on a two-run triple by James Madison's Nate Favero. The East then took the lead for good in the unlikeliest of ways: Beard was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded.

Porter went 3-for-3 with five RBI to win MVP honors for the East. The West's winner was Favero, who was 2-for-3 with three RBI.

For their profiles in the program, each player was asked for their favorite high school memory. York's Tim Kelly answered simply, "Each and every day I stepped on the field."

That's what Wednesday night's game, played on a beautiful summer night, was: one more chance to play in a high school uniform.

"It's fun any time you get to play," said Kelly, who went 1-for-2 with a walk. "And playing in an all-star game, when everybody is as good as you or better, it's a challenge."

Woodside second baseman Justin Carter has some fond memories of War Memorial Stadium, including winning the Peninsula District tournament championship in 2011. And he'll be back next year — as a member of the Apprentice School's team.

"I like this place a lot," Carter said..

Hampton's Cody Seals wasn't expecting to play until getting a call Monday when Menchville's Josh Moore had to pull out. He played shortstop this spring but was at second base Wednesday night. He went 2-for-3 and scored twice.

York's Ty Rinoski was the starting pitcher for the East and worked a solid three innings, allowing one earned run on three hits. He also struck out four.